Auckland

Tourism New Zealand’s giant rugby ball will stand on home ground for the first time – alongside The Cloud in the heart of Auckland’s party central on Queen’s Wharf during Rugby World Cup 2011.

Rugby World Cup 2011 will be a chance to experience and relive New Zealand’s rich rugby heritage with a series of REAL New Zealand Festival nostalgic exhibitions and events surrounding the tournament.

The last of the tickets for Rugby World Cup 2011 have gone on sale and are going quickly as New Zealand continues to ramp up preparations for hosting the major event.

Whale watching is a year round pastime in New Zealand but come winter, the popular activity takes on a more serious role, and this year a busy migration period is providing valuable data as well as entertainment.

The ‘Robertson Promised Gift’ – a private art collection owned by billionaire New Zealand luxury lodge owners, the Robertson family – is to go on show for the first time at the newly refurbished Auckland Art Gallery.

The best of Kiwi music will sound throughout the country during the Rugby World Cup when 50 top bands play 22 different cities as part of a REAL New Zealand Music Showcase tour.

True fans believe that rugby is art, so it's no surprise to find that the game has also inspired some significant new art installations for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Night skies above New Zealand’s biggest city will glow with the colours of the world, as Sky City’s Sky Tower lights up to welcome 20 teams for the Rugby World Cup.

All Black coach Graham Henry has revealed his 30-man squad for the Rugby World Cup - 17 days out from kick off.

It’s only four days until the seventh Rugby World Cup kicks-off in Auckland on Friday (09.09.2011), and rugby fever is kicking in all over New Zealand.